Psychometric stress risk assessments: proceed with caution

Tools

Hudson, J ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8661-7826 and Weinberg, A, 2025. Psychometric stress risk assessments: proceed with caution. International Journal of Workplace Health Management, 18 (1), pp. 101-117. ISSN 1753-8351

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Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJWHM-12-2022-0203

Abstract

Purpose
Despite extensive psychometric research on psychosocial assessment tools, comparatively little explores the practical application and evaluation of these tools for prioritising workplace psychosocial risks. This paper addresses this gap by illustrating the use of one popular, freely available measure in an applied risk assessment context, alongside qualitative data, highlighting questions and challenges for organisations.

Design/methodology/approach
1,425 employees from a UK public-sector organisation completed the Management Standards Indicator Tool (MSIT), General Health Questionnaire, and open-text questions about stress-related and positive aspects of work. Three approaches to analysing MSIT data were adopted: descriptive statistics, multiple regression and risk calculation, complemented by analysis of open-text qualitative data.

Findings
Demands and change were ranked prominently by each method; however, there were major inconsistencies, for example, relationships ranked first using one method but sixth by another. Qualitative comments broadly reflected quantitative analyses, with demands mentioned most frequently, but highlighted issues and nuances not covered by the MSIT.

Research limitations/implications
Only a selection of potential approaches to analysis is considered here, future research to support employers with analysis and evaluation of quantitative risk assessment data would be valuable.

Practical implications
Risk-assessors’ choice of analysis could have major implications for where employers direct resources, supporting existing guidance to avoid sole reliance on quantitative surveys for risk assessment.

Originality/value
This paper builds on the necessary–but not sufficient–psychometric foundations of risk assessment tools, integrating qualitative data and illustrating questions and challenges in applying them for their stated purpose.

Item Type:	Journal article
Publication Title:	International Journal of Workplace Health Management
Creators:	Hudson, J. and Weinberg, A.
Publisher:	Emerald
Date:	29 January 2025
Volume:	18
Number:	1
ISSN:	1753-8351
Identifiers:	Number Type 10.1108/IJWHM-12-2022-0203 DOI 2355050 Other
Rights:	© 2024, Emerald Publishing Limited. This AAM is provided for your own personal use only. It may not be used for resale, reprinting, systematic distribution, emailing, or for any other commercial purpose without the permission of the publisher.
Divisions:	Schools > School of Social Sciences
Record created by:	Melissa Cornwell
Date Added:	03 Feb 2025 11:04
Last Modified:	03 Feb 2025 11:04
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/52960